Latest / Sales Leadership with Fexingo: Quota Carriers, Sales Managers, and Revenue Teams / How to Sell When the Prospect Says They Need to Think About It
Transcript
- Lucas: You're on a demo, everything is going well, the prospect is engaged, they're asking good questions — and then you say the words 'so, are you ready to move forward?' and you get that pause. The slow nod. The exhale. And then: 'You know what, I need to think about it.' Luna: The classic stall. And it's so common that most reps just accept it and send a follow-up email that never gets opened. Lucas: Exactly. And that's the problem — because more often than not, 'I need to think about it' is not a real objection. It's a polite way of saying 'I'm not convinced yet' or 'I don't want to say no to your face.' Luna: So how do you tell the difference? I mean, sometimes a prospect genuinely does need time — maybe they have to check with a stakeholder or look at budget. Lucas: Right, and that's the nuance. You don't want to be the rep who bulldozes a legitimate process. But you also don't want to let a deal fade into the ether. The key is to probe for the real reason without making the prospect defensive. Luna: What's the first move? When they say 'let me think about it,' do you push back immediately? Lucas: I'd say the first move is validation. Something like: 'I completely understand — that's a big decision, and you want to make sure it's right.' That relieves pressure. But then you follow with a question that narrows down what exactly they need to think about. Luna: So you're turning a vague statement into a specific checklist. Lucas: Exactly. You might say: 'Just so I can help you think through it, what's the main thing you're weighing?' Nine times out of ten, they'll tell you the real objection — price, timeline, a feature gap, a competitor they're considering. Luna: And that buys you the chance to address it right there. Which is way better than letting them walk away. Lucas: Right. I saw this play out in a mid-market SaaS deal last quarter. A rep named Jenna was selling a project management tool to a VP of operations. The demo went great, but when she asked for the next step, the VP said 'I need to think about it.' Jenna didn't just accept it. Luna: What did she do? Lucas: She said: 'I totally get it. Just to clarify — is there something specific you're not sure about, or is it more about timing?' The VP said, 'Honestly, it's the price. I love the product, but I'm not sure we can justify the annual commitment.' Luna: So the real objection was price — which she could then handle. Lucas: Exactly. And she did — she showed them a quarterly payment option that wasn't on the pricing page, and the deal closed two days later. If she'd just said 'okay, let me know,' that deal probably dies. Luna: I think there's another layer though. Some reps are afraid to ask that follow-up question because they think it sounds pushy. Lucas: That's the mindset shift. You're not being pushy — you're being helpful. You're literally offering to help them think through a decision. That's consultative selling. Luna: I had a sales trainer once tell me to use what he called the 'Columbo close' — named after the TV detective. You get to the end of the conversation, you're about to leave, and then you turn around and say 'Oh, one more thing...' and ask a casual question. Lucas: I love that. So after they say 'I need to think about it,' you validate, you start wrapping up, and then you say something like: 'Hey, one more thing — just out of curiosity, is there any chance this is about? Because I've had other clients feel that way, and here's what they found...' Luna: Exactly. It feels less confrontational because it's framed as curiosity, not pressure. Lucas: The key is to make it low-stakes. You're not cornering them — you're just asking for clarification so you can provide better information. Luna: What about the prospect who genuinely needs to loop in another person? You don't want to undermine their internal process. Lucas: Great point. If they say 'I need to check with my boss,' that's a legitimate next step. But even then, you can help them prepare. You can say: 'What questions do you think your boss will have? Let's make sure you have the answers ready.' That positions you as their ally, not just a vendor. Luna: So you're essentially pre-selling to the unseen stakeholder through the person on the call. Lucas: Exactly. And that's so much more effective than just sending a one-pager and hoping for the best. Luna: I want to come back to the assumptive close. That's another tactic for the 'think it over' situation, right? Lucas: Yeah — and it works best when you've already built a lot of value. The idea is to assume the sale is happening and ask a question that implies that. Like: 'If we move forward, would you prefer to start in August or September?' Or: 'Should we set up the onboarding call for next week or the week after?' Luna: But that can backfire if the prospect isn't ready. You don't want to seem presumptuous. Lucas: That's true. It's a higher-risk move, but when it works, it cuts through the stall. You have to read the room. If they've been engaged and the objections have been addressed, it's worth a shot. Luna: So let's talk about the follow-up. Even with probing, some prospects will still say 'let me think about it' and you have to let them go. What's the best way to follow up? Lucas: First, set a specific time. Don't say 'I'll check in next week.' Say: 'How about I send you an email with a summary, and I'll follow up on Thursday morning?' Then you have a reason to reach out. Luna: And the email should include a clear next step, not just a recap. Lucas: Right. Recap the value, restate the price, and include a low-friction ask — like a link to schedule a follow-up call or a one-question survey to keep the conversation alive. Luna: And if they ghost after that? Lucas: Then it was probably a soft no disguised as a think-it-over. And that's okay — you qualify them out and move on. The worst thing you can do is chase a dead deal for three months. Luna: Speaking of keeping things alive — and I know this is a bit off the topic — but we're able to keep this podcast ad-free and bring you these specific strategies every week because of a small group of listeners who chip in monthly. It's not a big ask, but if these conversations have helped you in your work, you can find us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Lucas: Yeah, and we really appreciate that. It's what lets us focus on practical content without worrying about sponsors. So thank you to everyone who already supports the show. Luna: Alright, back to the think-it-over. Lucas, one last tip — what's a simple phrase reps can use on their next call when they get this objection? Lucas: My go-to is: 'I appreciate that. To make sure I'm not missing anything — what's the one thing that's giving you the most pause?' It's direct but not aggressive, and it almost always gets the real objection on the table. Luna: And once it's on the table, you can address it. That's the whole game. Lucas: Exactly. Don't let 'I need to think about it' be the end of the conversation. Treat it as the beginning of a deeper one.